Wide mouthed towel rack

ABSTRACT

A towel rack with a semi-circle body is provided. The semi circle body may include a first end, a second end, a top rim, a bottom rim, a front face and a rear face. The first end and the second end are attachable to a surface. The height (h) of the front face and the rear face is substantially larger than the width (w) of the top rim and the bottom rim.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a towel rack and, more particularly, toa wide mouth towel rack having a semi-circle shape.

Hanging a kitchen towel on a rack with one hand is a difficult task.Whether due to disability, or holding a baby or just having your handsfull, trying to get a kitchen towel to hang over an ordinary rack takestwo hands. Most kitchen towel racks have a smaller space between therack and the surface on which it is mounted, making it difficult toplace a towel to hang on it with one hand. In addition, the weight ofwet towels can overload a towel rack that is either made ofinsufficiently strong material or is not mounted with enough strength.

As can be seen, there is a need for a strong device that allows a userto place a towel on a towel rack with one hand.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

In one aspect of the present invention, a towel rack comprises: asemi-circle body comprising a first end and a second end, a front face,a rear face, a top rim, and a bottom rim, wherein the first end and thesecond end are attachable to a surface, and wherein a height of thefront face and the rear face is substantially larger than a width of thetop rim and the bottom rim.

These and other features, aspects and advantages of the presentinvention will become better understood with reference to the followingdrawings, description and claims.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of the present invention;

FIG. 2 is a side view of the present invention;

FIG. 3 is a top view of the present invention; and

FIG. 4 is an exploded view of the present invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

The following detailed description is of the best currently contemplatedmodes of carrying out exemplary embodiments of the invention. Thedescription is not to be taken in a limiting sense, but is made merelyfor the purpose of illustrating the general principles of the invention,since the scope of the invention is best defined by the appended claims.

The present invention includes a semi-circular, wide mouthed kitchentowel rack. Due to the larger space between the rack and the wall orcabinet door, a towel can be hung on the rack easily with just one hand.The present invention includes a large distance between the rack itselfand whatever surfaces the rack is attached to, making it simple to hanga towel on it with one hand.

Referring now to FIGS. 1 through 4, the present invention may includetowel rack with a semi-circle body 10. The semi circle body 10 mayinclude a first end 26, a second end 26, a top rim 24, a bottom rim 24,a front face 22 and a rear face 22. The first end 26 and the second end26 are attachable to a surface 16. The height (h) of the front face 22and the rear face 22 is substantially larger than the width (w) of thetop rim 24 and the bottom rim 24. The semi-circular shape forms a largeopening, having a distance (d) between the body 10 and the surface 16 inthe range of about 5 to about 8 inches for a typical kitchen towel-typeapplication, with the thinner width, which allows a user to easily placea towel 18 on the rack with one hand.

In certain embodiments, the present invention may include a first flange20 extending from the first end 26 and a second flange 20 extending fromthe second end 26. In certain embodiments, the first flange 20 and thesecond flange 20 meet with the first end 26 and the second end 26 at asubstantially right angle. The first flange 26 may include a firstopening 28 and the second flange 26 may include a second opening 28.

In certain embodiments, the present invention may include a firstfastener 12 and a second fastener 12 formed to fit through the first andsecond openings 28. The fasteners 12 may include bolts, screws or thelike. In certain embodiments, the present invention may include a firstspacer 14 and a second spacer 14. The first and second spacers 14 may beoriented between the first and second flanges 20 and the surface 16. Thefasteners 12 may be driven through the openings 28 in the flanges 20,through the spacers 14, and through the surface 16 to attach the semicircle body 10 to the surface 16.

The spacers 14 may be cushions that protect the surface 16 to which therack is mounted. The rubber spacers keep the metal ends 20 of the rackfrom damaging the surface 16 as well as adding to the depth of theopening through which the towel 18 is hung. As mentioned above, thefasteners 12 may include screws that fasten the device to a flat surface16 such as a wall or cabinet door. The semi-circle body 10 of thepresent invention holds the towel 18. The rack suspends the towel 18,allowing it to dry effectively and allowing it to be both moreaccessible to take down and easier to hang.

The particular screws used are optional depending on what type ofsurface the rack will be mounted onto and the finished size of the rack,which impacts the amount of weight the rack is expected to hold. Forexample, for the back of a cabinet door, short screws may be used inorder to prevent the screw tips from protruding through the oppositeside of the door. For mounting on a wall, longer screws or bolts may beused.

A method of making the present invention may include the following. Takea strip of metal (e.g., aluminum) or plastic, any length, about ¾ inchwide by about ⅛ inch thick. Bend it into a semi-circular “C” shape sothat the diameter of the semi-circle is about ⅓ of the total length ofthe metal strip, and then bend the last ¾ inch of each end back so thatthe ends are parallel to each other and can be placed flat against aflat surface. Drill holes in these two ends to accommodate the screws.Place the screws into the holes, and slide the spacers down onto thescrew shafts. The unit is now ready to be mounted and used. A method ofusing the present invention may include the following. One would mountthe rack in a convenient place in the kitchen, such as on the inside ofthe cabinet door under the sink. The towel is then easily hung andeasily removed in a convenient place.

It should be understood, of course, that the foregoing relates toexemplary embodiments of the invention and that modifications may bemade without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as setforth in the following claims.

What is claimed is:
 1. A towel rack comprising: a semi-circle bodycomprising a first end and a second end, a front face, a rear face, atop rim, and a bottom rim, wherein the first end and the second end areattachable to a surface, and wherein a height of the front face and therear face is substantially larger than a width of the top rim and thebottom rim.
 2. The towel rack of claim 1, further comprising a firstflange extending from the first end and a second flange extending fromthe second end.
 3. The towel rack of claim 2, wherein the first flangeand the second flange meet with the first end and the second end at asubstantially right angle.
 4. The towel rack of claim 2, wherein thefirst flange comprises a first opening and the second flange comprises asecond opening.
 5. The towel rack of claim 4, further comprising a firstfastener formed to fit through the first opening, and a second fastenerformed to fit through the second opening.
 6. The towel rack of claim 5,further comprising a first spacer and a second spacer, wherein the firstspacer is oriented between the first flange and the surface and thesecond spacer is oriented between the second flange and the surface,wherein the first fastener is driven through the first opening, thefirst spacer, and the surface and the second fastener is driven throughthe second opening, the second spacer and the surface.
 7. The towel rackof claim 1, wherein the semi-circle body is at least a half of a circle.8. The towel rack of claim 1, wherein the distance between the semicircle and the surface is at least in a range of about 5 to about 8inches.